1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer readable medium including a digital image print support program capable of selecting an appropriate kind of printer or print condition when a digital image is to be printed, to a digital image print support apparatus, and to digital image print system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital cameras are widespread, and a request for printing out digital image data is increasing in a printing service shop. As printers which print out digital image data, used are various printers of the electrophotographic method, the sublimation thermal transfer method, the direct theremosensitive method, the heat development diffusion transfer method, the inkjet method, the silver halide photographic method, and the like. Each of the printers has both an advantage and a disadvantage. For example, in one of the printers, printing can be performed at a high speed, but a defect is easily produced depending on an image, and, in another printer, the speed is low, but printing of a high image quality is enabled for an image of any kind. Even in printers of the same method, the kind of an image in which printing of a high image quality is enabled may be different depending on manufacturers.
In order to enable one printer to print various images at a high image quality, the performance of each printer must be enhanced such as in an inkjet printer disclosed in JP-A-10-76660.
In the inkjet printer, two kinds of print heads, or a high-resolution head and a low-resolution head are mounted, and image data for one sheet to be printed are analyzed to divide the image data into an area where the image is flat, and that where the image is complex. The print heads are selectively used in the two areas.
However, a printing service shop is not always equipped with various latest printers. When an urgent printout is requested, particularly, a printer which is adequate for the printout is selected from plural disposed printers. In the related art, the selection is determined by a service shop clerk while viewing a digital image on a monitor screen.
In the case where an image having a large flat area (an area of the sky), such as a distant view image of Mt. Fuji on a background of the all blue sky is to be printed out, even when a very tiny defect appears in the image of the sky, the image quality which should be given to the customer cannot be satisfied. By contrast, in the case where a complicated image such as that in which plants and trees grow close together in woods is to be printed out, even a small defect appears in the image, nobody notices the defect, and hence the customer does not make a complaint.
While considering such phenomena, it must be determined whether a printer which operates at a high speed but easily causes a defect is used or whether a printer which operates at a low speed but hardly causes a defect is used. This determination requires skill. When the shop is crowded with customers, the determination must be quickly made. In such a case, it is often that the determination is erroneously conducted.
In some cases, the following situation may arise. When the distant view image of Mt. Fuji is printed out under a certain print condition, a defect is not produced, and, when the image of woods is printed out under this print condition, many defects appear and the printout cannot be given to the customer. Therefore, also the selection of a print condition requires skill.